Explore Our ROI Rankings
Return on Investment (ROI) is an important measure for comparing the earnings and costs for students who attend specific colleges and universities. This metric attempts to weigh the cost of investing in college now against the potential gains over time of having a postsecondary credential.
Since 2019, we have analyzed data from the College Scorecard on earnings and debt from thousands of postsecondary institutions and programs. Our research shows that college typically pays off, but the return on investment varies by many factors:
Field of study
Program
Institution
Students
Geography
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Rankings of 4,600 Colleges by ROI:
See how your institution stacks up on a range of metrics, including short- and long-term ROI.
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Earnings and Debt for 37,000 Programs:
Compare first-year earnings and debt payments for your college program to those of other college programs by institution, field of study, and degree level.
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ROI for Low-Income Students:
Explore rankings of colleges and universities by ROI for low-income students.
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Read Our ROI Publications
Ranking 4,600 Colleges by ROI (2025)
Ranking 4,600 Colleges by ROI (2025)
Graduate Degrees: Risky and Unequal Paths to the Top
Graduate Degrees: Risky and Unequal Paths to the Top
A Law Degree Is No Sure Thing: Some Law School Graduates Earn Top Dollar, but Many Do Not
A Law Degree Is No Sure Thing: Some Law School Graduates Earn Top Dollar, but Many Do Not
Stop the Presses: Journalism Employment and the Economic Value of 850 Journalism and Communication Programs
Stop the Presses: Journalism Employment and the Economic Value of 850 Journalism and Communication Programs
The Most Popular Degree Pays Off: Ranking the Economic Value of 5,500 Business Programs at More Than 1,700 Colleges
The Most Popular Degree Pays Off: Ranking the Economic Value of 5,500 Business Programs at More Than 1,700 Colleges
Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI (2022)
Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI (2022)
ROI of Liberal Arts Colleges: Value Adds Up Over Time
ROI of Liberal Arts Colleges: Value Adds Up Over Time
Buyer Beware: First-Year Earnings and Debt for 37,000 College Majors at 4,400 Institutions